#intuitive creativity

hey lovelies! ✨

i've been thinking a lot about creative intuition lately, that quiet inner voice that nudges you toward certain ideas or projects. for the longest time, i was absolutely terrible at listening to it. i'd get these little sparks of inspiration and immediately talk myself out of them. "that's been done before" or "you don't have the skills for that" or my personal favorite: "who do you think you are?"

sound familiar? thought so.

the thing is, i've slowly been learning that my intuition actually knows what it's talking about. those random ideas that pop into my head at 2am or while i'm in the shower? they're not random at all, they're my creative compass trying to guide me toward what truly lights me up.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ recognizing intuition vs. fear ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

the first big challenge was learning to tell the difference between my intuition and my fear. they can sound weirdly similar sometimes!

my intuition tends to feel like excitement mixed with certainty, like "yes! this!" even when it makes no logical sense. it feels light and expansive, like opening a window in a stuffy room.

fear, on the other hand, feels heavy and contracted. it comes with a lot of "shoulds" and worrying about what other people will think. it's the voice that compares my chapter 1 to someone else's chapter 20.

i started keeping track of when these different voices would speak up, and slowly got better at recognizing which was which.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ creating space to listen ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

intuition doesn't shout. it whispers. and in our noisy, constantly-connected world, those whispers can get completely drowned out.

i realized i needed to create actual space to hear myself think. for me, that looks like:

morning pages: three pages of stream-of-consciousness writing before looking at my phone

solo walks without podcasts or music (just me and my thoughts)

intentional boredom: staring out windows, lying on the floor, letting my mind wander

reducing input before trying to create output (no scrolling before creative sessions)

it's amazing what starts to bubble up when you're not constantly drowning it out with other people's voices and ideas.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ the "stupid idea" notebook ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

one of the most helpful tools has been my "stupid idea" notebook, a judgment-free zone where i write down every creative impulse, no matter how ridiculous it seems.

the name is intentionally silly to remind myself not to take it all so seriously. some ideas truly are stupid, and that's perfectly fine! but some turn out to be the beginnings of something meaningful.

the rule is simple: write it all down, evaluate later. this creates a safe space for intuition to speak without immediately being shut down by my inner critic.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ small intuition experiments ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

trusting your intuition is like building a muscle, you start small and work your way up.

i began with low-stakes creative decisions: which color to use in a drawing, which topic to write about in my journal, which route to take on my walk. when something felt intuitively "right," i'd go with it, even if i couldn't explain why.

gradually, i started trusting my intuition with bigger choices: which project to pursue, which opportunities to say yes to, which creative direction to explore.

with each small win, my confidence in my inner guidance grew stronger.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ embracing the "wrong" turns ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

here's the thing about intuition: sometimes it leads you down paths that seem to go nowhere. i've followed creative impulses that resulted in projects i never finished or ideas that didn't work out.

but i'm learning that these aren't failures, they're necessary detours. every "wrong" turn teaches me something i needed to learn or leads me to connections i wouldn't have made otherwise.

intuition isn't finding the most direct path; it's finding YOUR path, with all its twists and surprises.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ letting go of external validation ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

perhaps the hardest part of trusting my creative intuition has been detaching from external validation. when you follow your intuition, you might create things that don't immediately resonate with others or fit neatly into what's trending.

i'm still working on this one, honestly. but i've noticed that my most intuitive creations... the ones that felt most aligned with my inner voice, are ultimately the ones people connect with most deeply, even if the audience is smaller.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ a gentle practice ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

trusting your creative intuition isn't a destination, it's an ongoing practice. some days i'm better at it than others. sometimes fear still wins. but each time i choose to listen to that quiet inner knowing, it gets a little louder, a little clearer.

if you're struggling to trust your own creative voice, start small. create tiny spaces of silence. write down the whispers. follow the sparks of excitement. and be patient with yourself when you forget.

xoxo, mindy 🤍

These crafty shot glasses are actually soap. Though they may resemble ice cubes, those are soap also. The entire thing is soap.

This is such an interesting concept, it is surprising not many more are doing this.

This takes creativity to the edge.

So catchy and creative.

Experiencing burn out? Want to reconnect with your muse? Need inspiration to create and/or enjoy life?

The tiniest action camera packs a punch. It is light weight and can mount to anything with magnetic capabilities. We use the Insta360 Go 2 to film unboxing and behind the scenes video. It is incredibly portable and can fit in your pocket or on your hat wihh the the clip. Use the sticky mount to connect it to kitchen utensils for POV cooking shots.

It is so convenient and compact that it is a useful tool for documenting life, exploring new places, and even a short underwater dip. It can be used for just about everything.

Connect the camera to the Insta360 app on your phone for live preview of what the camera is viewing. Stabilization is made easy with Insta360 Go 2. Watch it on live preview.

Use this affiliate link for a free lens guard with the 32GB and 64 GB models. We have both in our home as well as the special edition minion that is no longer available.

Replica Surfaces has gone absolutely insane. They are continuing to discriminate against people by blocking minorities from their “exclusive Facebook group. It is bad enough Liz Blundell thinks everyone is me.

Additionally, while being a member of the Facebook group is a “benefit” to consumers, the hypocrisy is in banning minorities without cause but still taking their money. Further, they delay customer service and shipping to those same people, thus taking their racism and discrimination further.

There are alternatives to Replica Surfaces, and we have started Spectrum Scenes to benefit individuals on the spectrum. Our scenes are curated by a professional, freelance photographer who is an individual with autism. These surfaces are a spectrum of non traditional yet hyper realistic scenes to turn anyone with a mobile phone camera into his or her own product photographer. No experience necessary, and our boards work with existing equipment.

Unlike Mandy Greedy Gleason, our boards are double sided to maximize your photographic journeys and experiences.

Here are reasons to hire a product photographer rather than photograph on your own if you are not a photographer.

1. Professional photographers have invested time and money learning their craft. Buying a high end photographer does not guarantee you will know how to use it or my your photos appear professional. Photographers practice, shoot, practice, shoot. It is what they do.

2. High end cameras are expensive. Do you really need that expense when there are so many product photographers who have already invested in expensive cameras? Some professional photographers, switching between genres may even offer services for free to expand their portfolios.

3. Unless you have a great window with magnificent lighting, you will need professional lights. There are many types of professional lights: LED, monolight, strobe light, flashes, etc. We cannot forget lighting modifiers such as soft boxes, umbrellas, flags, reflectors, clamshells, and more. Are you willing to buy all of these things for great photos?

4. It is easy to buy surface backdrops, but a professional product photographer has already invested hundreds if not thousands in props and scenes. Is that an additional expense your new business is willing to incur? Some surface backboards are upwards of $89.00 and more. Multiply that by ten, and we are nearly at a thousand dollars. If someone already had everything you need for killer product shots, why go into debt for something you may no longer have time to learn or do when your business grows?

5. Professional product photographers have likely already spent a great deal of time and effort, researching styling, lighting, posing, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and effects that can be performed without photo editing. Classic photographers do not require editors, because their images are print ready. There were no editors available when cameras were invented.

6. Playing all roles in your business can be exhausting. You are a business owner, marketer, salesperson, creative designer, product developer, accountant, manager, customer service, shipper, and now you want to add another hat to your very long list of duties. Avoid burnout and incorporate self care by parceling tasks to get things accomplished more efficiently.

Replica Surfaces Biscotti Linen, Scandinavian Wood, Lush View

There are many pros and cons to consider when selecting backdrops and companies that provide them. Everything I do at this point is to fund the 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity I founded. As such, when selecting companies from which to purchase or partner, a key factor is philanthropy. A company that supports the community cares about the community. A company that does not support the community cares about lining its pockets.

Companies that are socially and environmentally conscious actually consider the environment and its peoples. It should not be a question to support a company that cares. They may support the community by working with charitable organizations, projects, offering discounts, or damaged items. My experience with Replica Surfaces is that they do none of these things. V-Flat World offers a modest discount and supports Humanity Showers. Poppybee Surfaces offers a modest discount but does not donate damaged goods. Regardless, those are at least two backdrop companies that seem to take an interest in people who devote their lives to helping others and making the world a better place.

V-Flat Coral and Terrazzo

As far as social media, V-Flat World has an exclusive Facebook group that supports their consumers without playing favorites. If they like your posts, they may feature them. Replica Surfaces VIP Facebook group is a high school clique. The few and the favored get benefits and are uncensored. Others in the group posted things for which I was flagged. They promote their favorite vendors by requesting free products and photographing them for their own ads. This is not quite an equal opportunity that I have witnessed.

Replica Surfaces Bathscape, Sunsoaked Terrazzo, Tuscany Styling Towel

We cannot forget things such as their styling towels and mystery gift. Their styling towels are great in photos, but I have found linen scarves and fabric remnants at local shops that perform just as well if not better in photos. The question remains, why pay Replica Surfaces $40.00 for three styling towels, when you can purchase scarves and fabric remnants for a fraction of the price?

As far as the mystery gift, it is simply a cheap set of three small, smaller, and even smaller wooden blocks. I literally bought a pack of 25 of the same size of the smallest block from the dollar twenty-five store, so what is so special about Replica Surfaces cheap styling blocks? Do they perform better than other blocks? No. Are they worth the price (purchasing five surfaces to receive the blocks for free)? No. Are they of workable size? Not unless you are shooting something as small as a coffee bean. The blocks are rather useless.

All this is not disputing the beauty of some of their surfaces. How you conduct business is personal preference. The surfaces are nice, but they are smaller, thinner, and single sided compared to V-Flat World, and they cost more. Why can Replica Surfaces not produce boards that are double sided and at least 24”x24”? Likely they want their 3mm thick boards to be incompatible with surfaces from other companies. Still, it does not answer why Replica Surfaces cannot make a more affordable and appealing product double sided. It seems like simple greed. However, that is one person’s postulation.

Their marketing tactics are genius but shady. Yes, it is nice to re release products, but to offer such small quantities and actually tell consumers to set alarms to fight other online shopping customers for their products that may or may not sell out is rude. They are driving up demand but not meeting supply. After they release a new limited collection, then have a sale as soon as the collection sells out can bankrupt consumers. Replica Surfaces has no conscience and have consecutive releases and sales without consideration of paydays of many consumers . They care only about their bottom line and how full they can get their pockets. It is great to have sales, but it is greater to allow consumers time to refill their wallets. It seems another point driven by greed than consumer mental health.

For simple surfaces such as Subway Tile, what really makes the selling point when competitors offer more superior products at lower prices?

What would convert me to a fan of Replica Surfaces when their competitors already have many more reasons to avoid Replica Surfaces? Perhaps if they were more community conscious, aided and supported community projects and nonprofit organizations, made their boards more standardized in size, and made their boards double sided to give consumers more options. That is all setting aside the bureaucracy of their Facebook group, where they censor and ban some people for stating and doing exactly what their favorites do uncensored and not banned. As if their sophomoric antics could not be predicted, I was banned from their Facebook group for reporting violations others committed but were not flagged, which were allegedly the same violations I committed. Why would anyone want to support such a juvenile company and immature owner, Mandy Gleason?

When I attempted to resolve the discrepancies with Replica Surfaces, Liz reiterated rules I had not broken and offered no explanation as to why I was penalized, and my white neurotypical counterparts were not. She stated the word “addict” is triggering for her due to her sister’s addiction. Yet, when given proof that over 57 posts and comments contained variations of the word “addict,” she did not apologize that I was the only one banned. She did not offer any words as to why when those other instances were reported, they were neither banned nor removed. Why would Replica Surfaces be extremely lenient and tolerant of consumers who more closely resemble her?

I offered to give away my boards for free, but that was considered sales. Yet crafters in the group share their product links and prices and made sales within the group. The company photographer promotes products from her favorite makers, so why is that open sales solicitation not considered a violation? Again, those makers share much in common by way of specific demographic to Mandy Gleason. At no point has the company apologized for favoritism and inequitable application of group rules. One can only postulate the rules are merely a way to cull unwanted minorities from the clandestine white washed culture of the group.

They shadowban comments about where people obtain resources except in the instance of badmouthing competitors such as VFlat. They censor all customer service reviews to give the appearance of flawless customer service. Even Leah is not knowledgeable as to which surfaces are limited, because of her conflicting statements.

When you uncheck the box to state you do want to continue receiving stands, they automatically recheck it then blame the customer for not checking it. It defaults to check marked, so they can have an excuse not to provide stands with their bundle deals that specifically state one received two sets of stands with purchase of five boards. When this was brought yo their attention, I was blamed for not removing the checkmark, although I kept removing it, and it kept defaulting back to checked. Then Leah stated to correct that five sets of stands owed to me were not included, she stated she mailed seven. Later, she mailed stands to Bowling Green, Ohio, then changed her story to say she was only allowed to send two of the five sets owed. At this point, Liz stepped in, added the five stands to my next order, but removed the mystery gift owed to me, from purchase of the five surface bundle. It is annoying they refuse to comply with their own website claims; however, I was not as nearly upset about the removal of the useless styling blocks owed to me, pursuant to their website bundle deal.

Will I continue to purchase Replica Surfaces? Only during steep sales if a client really is fixated with using a specific backdrop. For example, a client loves Replica Surface boards for their products, so I use this boards and charge enough to recover my “lost” expenses for the boards. Essentially, the client is paying for the boards as well as product photography services.

Will I promote them on social media when I use their boards? No. Will I continue to participate in the clique that is their Facebook group? No, because they are discriminating. Will I rant and rave about how great they are? No, because the company and its owner are not. The products are subpar to others on the market. Even the stands are $26.00 for two, which a set is supposed to be free with purchase of two boards. Similar stands of better quality are available on Amazon at $8.99 for four.

V-Flat Duo Boards are larger with higher resolution. It is easier to style props to create faux rooms rather than a smaller board with a scene of a room. Plus, you can style the props to create rooms in many ways. The solid colors and classic patterns of V-Flat are better for makeshift walls and floors. There is more room to zoom and crop.

V-Flat Coral, Terrazzo, remnant fabric from Jo-Ann

I found myself losing parts of the photos with Replica Surfaces, because the area is smaller. The stands did not hold the surfaces flush, so there was room where I had to sacrifice part of the product photo to avoid getting any parts of the surrounding background also known as my makeshift studio. V-Flat Duo Boards offer the flexibility to zoom out a bit to capture more scene. Their stands hold surfaces straight while Replica Surfaces did not. The Replica Boards were leaning and crooked, so it required cropping, which, again, meant part of the mood created had to be sacrificed.

Price gauging for substandard products and lure of a special mystery gift are definitely cons much like the greed of the company.

Replica Surfaces Florence, Wine Cask, linen scarf from Amazon